The Sin Boldly Podcast

The Sin Boldly Podcast is a combination of a radio show offered through KPFT 90.1 in Houston as well as teaching material from First Evangelical Lutheran Church in Houston. The content is apologetic, polemic, and tradition in its Christian worldview. It means to clearly convey the Christian view as opposed to others. All in love, of course!

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The congregation I serve, First Evangelical Lutheran Church in Houston, TX, hosted a debate on God's existence a few Saturdays ago. This episode is dedicated to reviewing that debate. What arguments were made? What concessions were granted? Who was the most consistent? Who focused on the topic? How did each participant answer the question? We look at the highlights...and lowlights, and try to figure out who was successful in the debate after we offer our criteria for such an event.

Why the name “Sin Boldly”? Martin Luther wrote to his friend Philip Melanchthon in 1521: “If you are a preacher of mercy, do not preach an imaginary but the true mercy. If the mercy is true, you must therefore bear the true, not an imaginary sin. God does not save those who are only imaginary sinners. Be a sinner, and let your sins be strong [sin boldly], but let your trust in Christ be stronger, and rejoice in Christ who is the victor over sin, death, and the world.” To sin boldly, therefore, is not to seek unholy living, but to follow the course we believe the Bible demands even if the world is against us. And if and when we sin, trust in an even greater savior.

First Lutheran also publishes a daily podcast called The Scarlet Thread (https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-scarlet-thread/id1110938468?mt=2). This podcast is a reading of the appointed texts for the Two-Year Daily Lectionary. After two years, listeners will have heard most of the Old Testament once and most of the New Testament twice. If you are liturgically-minded and want a little more Bible in your life, this is a great podcast for you.

I was delighted to be on KPFT's "Voices" again and to have the offer to present the Christian worldview on secular radio. KPFT 90.1 FM in Houston is community-supported radio and has a large audience of folks from a variety of backgrounds and beliefs. It will be a while before I'm able to do this again (thanks a lot, vacation!) but it sure is fun to get this kind of audience feedback. Today I was joined by Christian apologist and friend Eric Hernandez. We looked at only one argument for God's existence before the calls came rolling in. Friend me on Facebook to get notification of these shows in the future if you'd like to call in. And thanks Eric for your time!

Why the name “Sin Boldly”? Martin Luther wrote to his friend Philip Melanchthon in 1521: “If you are a preacher of mercy, do not preach an imaginary but the true mercy. If the mercy is true, you must therefore bear the true, not an imaginary sin. God does not save those who are only imaginary sinners. Be a sinner, and let your sins be strong [sin boldly], but let your trust in Christ be stronger, and rejoice in Christ who is the victor over sin, death, and the world.” To sin boldly, therefore, is not to seek unholy living, but to follow the course we believe the Bible demands even if the world is against us. And if and when we sin, trust in an even greater savior.

First Lutheran also publishes a daily podcast called The Scarlet Thread (https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-scarlet-thread/id1110938468?mt=2). This podcast is a reading of the appointed texts for the Two-Year Daily Lectionary. After two years, listeners will have heard most of the Old Testament once and most of the New Testament twice. If you are liturgically-minded and want a little more Bible in your life, this is a great podcast for you.

This may not really be a program for the usual Sin Boldly listener, but I'm using the podcast feed as a way to make available this class for those who need it. In essence, this is an 8-part class that prepares an adult for baptism. It is the bare minimum, and for those of you who are Christian, I understand it covers a lot of ground in an insanely short amount of time. If you are a mature Christian, you might want to skip this download, or you might like it as a refresher. If you know someone who is not a Christian and after your own screening you find this a helpful refresher, feel free to share. We can never really get enough of the basics anyway! I try to find the right balance of covering a lot of ground quickly and hitting the necessary big picture questions.

This class covers Galatians 1-3, a wonderful clarifying book on the distinction between Law and Gospel. We begin, however, in Acts 15 at the Jerusalem Council to understand St. Paul's particular mission to the Gentiles.

Back in January, Dr. Gary McIntosh, Dr. Eugene Wilson and Karl Vaters and I gathered to talk about the Church Growth Movement at large. There was so much to talk about, we did it again, only this time without Dr. McIntosh (who is a very busy man and we hope to catch up with later!). We look at the need for small groups and the need for Christians to be "self-feeders", as well as whether or not churches can grow if they preach the "hard sayings of Jesus." Also, how do pastors of small churches deal with the frustration of churches that aren't growing and what do they do in the wake of that reality?

Why the name “Sin Boldly”? Martin Luther wrote to his friend Philip Melanchthon in 1521: “If you are a preacher of mercy, do not preach an imaginary but the true mercy. If the mercy is true, you must therefore bear the true, not an imaginary sin. God does not save those who are only imaginary sinners. Be a sinner, and let your sins be strong [sin boldly], but let your trust in Christ be stronger, and rejoice in Christ who is the victor over sin, death, and the world.” To sin boldly, therefore, is not to seek unholy living, but to follow the course we believe the Bible demands even if the world is against us. And if and when we sin, trust in an even greater savior.

First Lutheran also publishes a daily podcast called The Scarlet Thread (https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-scarlet-thread/id1110938468?mt=2). This podcast is a reading of the appointed texts for the Two-Year Daily Lectionary. After two years, listeners will have heard most of the Old Testament once and most of the New Testament twice. If you are liturgically-minded and want a little more Bible in your life, this is a great podcast for you.

On Saturday, June 3, First Evangelical Lutheran Church in Houston, TX hosted a formal, moderated debate on God's existence. Sonny Hernandez, a Christian apologist in the presuppositional mold and Dan Barker, one of America's best-known atheists, debated this classic question. The format was 20 minute opening remarks, 10 minute rebuttals, 5 minutes each for cross examination, 30 minutes of audience Q and A (which did elicit some pretty interesting dialogue) and 5 minute closings. This ended up being a pretty fiery debate, for better or worse, and even personal at times. But you the audience will have to listen and decide for yourselves who "won" the debate. These questions help me in answering such a question:

1) Who was the most consistent throughout the debate?

2) Who made and who received the most concessions?

3) Who answered the question up for debate? (And stayed on topic.)

4) Who was the most rhetorically powerful?

Why the name “Sin Boldly”? Martin Luther wrote to his friend Philip Melanchthon in 1521: “If you are a preacher of mercy, do not preach an imaginary but the true mercy. If the mercy is true, you must therefore bear the true, not an imaginary sin. God does not save those who are only imaginary sinners. Be a sinner, and let your sins be strong [sin boldly], but let your trust in Christ be stronger, and rejoice in Christ who is the victor over sin, death, and the world.” To sin boldly, therefore, is not to seek unholy living, but to follow the course we believe the Bible demands even if the world is against us. And if and when we sin, trust in an even greater savior.

First Lutheran also publishes a daily podcast called The Scarlet Thread (https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-scarlet-thread/id1110938468?mt=2). This podcast is a reading of the appointed texts for the Two-Year Daily Lectionary. After two years, listeners will have heard most of the Old Testament once and most of the New Testament twice. If you are liturgically-minded and want a little more Bible in your life, this is a great podcast for you.

This solo episode looks at a handful of topics: the contraction of the Church due to perpetual adolescence; a parent's rights in a transgender case; a 1952 Planned Parenthood pamphlet that calls abortion the killing of a baby; and the Kooks Burrito company being forced to close because of "cultural appropriation."

Why the name “Sin Boldly”? Martin Luther wrote to his friend Philip Melanchthon in 1521: “If you are a preacher of mercy, do not preach an imaginary but the true mercy. If the mercy is true, you must therefore bear the true, not an imaginary sin. God does not save those who are only imaginary sinners. Be a sinner, and let your sins be strong [sin boldly], but let your trust in Christ be stronger, and rejoice in Christ who is the victor over sin, death, and the world.” To sin boldly, therefore, is not to seek unholy living, but to follow the course we believe the Bible demands even if the world is against us. And if and when we sin, trust in an even greater savior.

First Lutheran also publishes a daily podcast called The Scarlet Thread (https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-scarlet-thread/id1110938468?mt=2). This podcast is a reading of the appointed texts for the Two-Year Daily Lectionary. After two years, listeners will have heard most of the Old Testament once and most of the New Testament twice. If you are liturgically-minded and want a little more Bible in your life, this is a great podcast for you.

For the first time in Sin Boldly's history, I moved from the HD channel of KPFT to the flagship FM band. My goal for this show has always been to offer a defense of the Christian faith on secular radio. There are already more than enough incredible Christian podcasts. This is a radio show first and a podcast second. So it was fun to get the opportunity. I believe it may become somewhat regular, but we will see.

The content is probably already familiar to regular Sin Boldly listeners as I did a review of a portion of a Joel Osteen sermon and a quick discussion on the relationship of Christianity and capitalism. I got several calls during this episode which looked at other questions as well. My goal was to introduce the broader KPFT audience to the kind of show I do and given that Pr. Osteen pastors about a mile from KPFT studios, I thought an evaluation of his preaching would be worthwhile. Some of the callers seemed to agree.

Why the name “Sin Boldly”? Martin Luther wrote to his friend Philip Melanchthon in 1521: “If you are a preacher of mercy, do not preach an imaginary but the true mercy. If the mercy is true, you must therefore bear the true, not an imaginary sin. God does not save those who are only imaginary sinners. Be a sinner, and let your sins be strong [sin boldly], but let your trust in Christ be stronger, and rejoice in Christ who is the victor over sin, death, and the world.” To sin boldly, therefore, is not to seek unholy living, but to follow the course we believe the Bible demands even if the world is against us. And if and when we sin, trust in an even greater savior.

First Lutheran also publishes a daily podcast called The Scarlet Thread (https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-scarlet-thread/id1110938468?mt=2). This podcast is a reading of the appointed texts for the Two-Year Daily Lectionary. After two years, listeners will have heard most of the Old Testament once and most of the New Testament twice. If you are liturgically-minded and want a little more Bible in your life, this is a great podcast for you.

This is not really a program for the usual Sin Boldly listener, but I'm using the podcast feed as a way to make available this class for those who need it. In essence, this is an 8-part class that prepares an adult for baptism. It is the bare minimum, and for those of you who are Christian, I understand it covers a lot of ground in an insanely short amount of time. If you are a mature Christian, you might want to skip this download, or you might like it as a refresher. If you know someone who is not a Christian and after your own screening you find this a helpful refresher, feel free to share. We can never really get enough of the basics anyway! I try to find the right balance of covering a lot of ground quickly and hitting the necessary big picture questions.

This class is an overview of the people, stories, and books that comprise the New Testament. As I said to my students, you might check out the Scarlet Thread Podcast if, after realizing how much ground there is to cover, you find the need for more familiarity with the Bible. It can at least help with that.

Well, I have been looking forward to this episode for a while. I was honored to be joined by Dr. Theodore Zachariades of Reforming America Ministries and Jordan Cooper of the Just and Sinner Podcast and Blog to discuss the Limited Atonement. Did Jesus die for the sins of the whole world, or only for his elect people? What is the extent of the work of the cross? Jordan comes from a Reformed background but is now a Lutheran pastor and theologian. Theodore came to the Reformed Baptist tradition after growing up Easter Orthodox. This debate features conversation around many of the relevant Biblical passages and demonstrates the different ways that these two traditions come to see the way God has worked in the world to save sinners. Thanks again to both of my guests for their time and expertise!

Why the name “Sin Boldly”? Martin Luther wrote to his friend Philip Melanchthon in 1521: “If you are a preacher of mercy, do not preach an imaginary but the true mercy. If the mercy is true, you must therefore bear the true, not an imaginary sin. God does not save those who are only imaginary sinners. Be a sinner, and let your sins be strong [sin boldly], but let your trust in Christ be stronger, and rejoice in Christ who is the victor over sin, death, and the world.” To sin boldly, therefore, is not to seek unholy living, but to follow the course we believe the Bible demands even if the world is against us. And if and when we sin, trust in an even greater savior.

First Lutheran also publishes a daily podcast called The Scarlet Thread (https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-scarlet-thread/id1110938468?mt=2). This podcast is a reading of the appointed texts for the Two-Year Daily Lectionary. After two years, listeners will have heard most of the Old Testament once and most of the New Testament twice. If you are liturgically-minded and want a little more Bible in your life, this is a great podcast for you.

This solo episode looks at some signs that your church is becoming more progressive, i.e. less orthodox. We also look at some celebrities and their relationship to faith, including Val Kilmer and Brad Pitt.

Why the name “Sin Boldly”? Martin Luther wrote to his friend Philip Melanchthon in 1521: “If you are a preacher of mercy, do not preach an imaginary but the true mercy. If the mercy is true, you must therefore bear the true, not an imaginary sin. God does not save those who are only imaginary sinners. Be a sinner, and let your sins be strong [sin boldly], but let your trust in Christ be stronger, and rejoice in Christ who is the victor over sin, death, and the world.” To sin boldly, therefore, is not to seek unholy living, but to follow the course we believe the Bible demands even if the world is against us. And if and when we sin, trust in an even greater savior.

First Lutheran also publishes a daily podcast called The Scarlet Thread (https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-scarlet-thread/id1110938468?mt=2). This podcast is a reading of the appointed texts for the Two-Year Daily Lectionary. After two years, listeners will have heard most of the Old Testament once and most of the New Testament twice. If you are liturgically-minded and want a little more Bible in your life, this is a great podcast for you.

Friends, I need your help! I have done very little promotion of my podcast but I'm going to ask for your help. Having reviews of the podcast on iTunes helps a lot! If you would be so kind, could you review this podcast? You can do it through iTunes or the Podcast app on your iOS device. It helps the show come up on searches if it has sufficient reviews. If you use your Podcast app on your iOS device, search for Sin Boldly and click on the "reviews" tab. From there you can "Write a Review." In iTunes, find the podcast through the Store, click on the "Sin Boldly Podcast", and you can write a review there. I appreciate the help! Many thanks for considering, Pastor Evan McClanahan

This is not really a program for the usual Sin Boldly listener, but I'm using the podcast feed as a way to make available this class for those who need it. In essence, this is an 8-part class that prepares an adult for baptism. It is the bare minimum, and for those of you who are Christian, I understand it covers a lot of ground in an insanely short amount of time. If you are a mature Christian, you might want to skip this download, or you might like it as a refresher. If you know someone who is not a Christian and after your own screening you find this a helpful refresher, feel free to share. We can never really get enough of the basics anyway! I try to find the right balance of covering a lot of ground quickly and hitting the necessary big picture questions.

This class quickly looks at the question of worldview in general, then an overview of the Old Testament. Apologies in advance to God's Prophets, each of whom deserve many classes by themselves!

As I said to my students, you might check out the Scarlet Thread Podcast if, after realizing how much ground there is to cover, you find the need for more familiarity with the Bible. It can at least help with that.

Dr. Kathleen Mills joined me today to talk about her book The Kinship of Jesus. What was different about Christian community in the context of the Roman empire? And what should Christian community look like today? Thanks to Kathleen for stopping in!

Why the name “Sin Boldly”? Martin Luther wrote to his friend Philip Melanchthon in 1521: “If you are a preacher of mercy, do not preach an imaginary but the true mercy. If the mercy is true, you must therefore bear the true, not an imaginary sin. God does not save those who are only imaginary sinners. Be a sinner, and let your sins be strong [sin boldly], but let your trust in Christ be stronger, and rejoice in Christ who is the victor over sin, death, and the world.” To sin boldly, therefore, is not to seek unholy living, but to follow the course we believe the Bible demands even if the world is against us. And if and when we sin, trust in an even greater savior.

First Lutheran also publishes a daily podcast called The Scarlet Thread (https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-scarlet-thread/id1110938468?mt=2). This podcast is a reading of the appointed texts for the Two-Year Daily Lectionary. After two years, listeners will have heard most of the Old Testament once and most of the New Testament twice. If you are liturgically-minded and want a little more Bible in your life, this is a great podcast for you.

This solo episode explores whether a heroin dealer deserves religious protection. After all, he is providing comfort to the poor, lame, blind and apparently, even dead! I also look at Trump's new executive order which offers protection for pastors endorsing political candidates from the pulpit and the fallacies of the Prosperity Gospel.

Why the name “Sin Boldly”? Martin Luther wrote to his friend Philip Melanchthon in 1521: “If you are a preacher of mercy, do not preach an imaginary but the true mercy. If the mercy is true, you must therefore bear the true, not an imaginary sin. God does not save those who are only imaginary sinners. Be a sinner, and let your sins be strong [sin boldly], but let your trust in Christ be stronger, and rejoice in Christ who is the victor over sin, death, and the world.” To sin boldly, therefore, is not to seek unholy living, but to follow the course we believe the Bible demands even if the world is against us. And if and when we sin, trust in an even greater savior.

First Lutheran also publishes a daily podcast called The Scarlet Thread (https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-scarlet-thread/id1110938468?mt=2). This podcast is a reading of the appointed texts for the Two-Year Daily Lectionary. After two years, listeners will have heard most of the Old Testament once and most of the New Testament twice. If you are liturgically-minded and want a little more Bible in your life, this is a great podcast for you.

For this episode, I was joined by Dr. Danusha Goska, author of Save, Send, Delete and a fascinating article on why she left Leftism. Widely traveled, Dr. Goska has experienced the world's most prominent religions but remains a lifelong Roman Catholic. Why? What compels her to still believe in God and the revelation of Jesus Christ? Her book is an email correspondence with a well-known atheist, and her article can be found here.

Why the name “Sin Boldly”? Martin Luther wrote to his friend Philip Melanchthon in 1521: “If you are a preacher of mercy, do not preach an imaginary but the true mercy. If the mercy is true, you must therefore bear the true, not an imaginary sin. God does not save those who are only imaginary sinners. Be a sinner, and let your sins be strong [sin boldly], but let your trust in Christ be stronger, and rejoice in Christ who is the victor over sin, death, and the world.” To sin boldly, therefore, is not to seek unholy living, but to follow the course we believe the Bible demands even if the world is against us. And if and when we sin, trust in an even greater savior.

First Lutheran also publishes a daily podcast called The Scarlet Thread (https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-scarlet-thread/id1110938468?mt=2). This podcast is a reading of the appointed texts for the Two-Year Daily Lectionary. After two years, listeners will have heard most of the Old Testament once and most of the New Testament twice. If you are liturgically-minded and want a little more Bible in your life, this is a great podcast for you.

In this solo episode, I look at two articles. The first looks at "Grace Alone" from a Roman Catholic point-of-view. (That article is here.) What does it really mean to "cooperate" with God in salvation? Is "grace first" good enough or were the reformers right to insist on "grace alone"? I also look at an article that argues that there is no such thing as hate speech, only unfavorable opinions that are labeled as such to shut down free speech. Oh, and just how much should churches spend on their parking lot?

Why the name “Sin Boldly”? Martin Luther wrote to his friend Philip Melanchthon in 1521: “If you are a preacher of mercy, do not preach an imaginary but the true mercy. If the mercy is true, you must therefore bear the true, not an imaginary sin. God does not save those who are only imaginary sinners. Be a sinner, and let your sins be strong [sin boldly], but let your trust in Christ be stronger, and rejoice in Christ who is the victor over sin, death, and the world.” To sin boldly, therefore, is not to seek unholy living, but to follow the course we believe the Bible demands even if the world is against us. And if and when we sin, trust in an even greater savior.

First Lutheran also publishes a daily podcast called The Scarlet Thread (https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-scarlet-thread/id1110938468?mt=2). This podcast is a reading of the appointed texts for the Two-Year Daily Lectionary. After two years, listeners will have heard most of the Old Testament once and most of the New Testament twice. If you are liturgically-minded and want a little more Bible in your life, this is a great podcast for you.

The Benedict Option has been called the most important Christian book in decades. But what does it really propose? Is it anything new? And is it even the best "option" out there? For that matter, do Christians have options other than the biblical "option" found in the Great Commission? How should Christians response to a hostile culture? Wyatt Graham of The Gospel Coalition of Canada joins me and we use his latest article as the foundation for our conversation. That article can be found here.

Why the name “Sin Boldly”? Martin Luther wrote to his friend Philip Melanchthon in 1521: “If you are a preacher of mercy, do not preach an imaginary but the true mercy. If the mercy is true, you must therefore bear the true, not an imaginary sin. God does not save those who are only imaginary sinners. Be a sinner, and let your sins be strong [sin boldly], but let your trust in Christ be stronger, and rejoice in Christ who is the victor over sin, death, and the world.” To sin boldly, therefore, is not to seek unholy living, but to follow the course we believe the Bible demands even if the world is against us. And if and when we sin, trust in an even greater savior.

First Lutheran also publishes a daily podcast called The Scarlet Thread (https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-scarlet-thread/id1110938468?mt=2). This podcast is a reading of the appointed texts for the Two-Year Daily Lectionary. After two years, listeners will have heard most of the Old Testament once and most of the New Testament twice. If you are liturgically-minded and want a little more Bible in your life, this is a great podcast for you.

I was joined by Zachary King, a former Satanist of 26 years, of All Saints Ministry. We talked about his past life as a Satanist and what Satanists believe, the Biblical reality of the devil and his minions, and recent Satanic encroachment into the public square. Is Satanism essentially a boutique rebellion, or a more mainstream group than we think? Is this an underground movement that has significant appeal or does the media blow it out of proportion? You listen and decide. I definitely will take it more seriously than I used to after this interview. [I'm not labeling this episode either Clean or Explicit because the content may be inappropriate for some children, though there is no profanity.]

Why the name “Sin Boldly”? Martin Luther wrote to his friend Philip Melanchthon in 1521: “If you are a preacher of mercy, do not preach an imaginary but the true mercy. If the mercy is true, you must therefore bear the true, not an imaginary sin. God does not save those who are only imaginary sinners. Be a sinner, and let your sins be strong [sin boldly], but let your trust in Christ be stronger, and rejoice in Christ who is the victor over sin, death, and the world.” To sin boldly, therefore, is not to seek unholy living, but to follow the course we believe the Bible demands even if the world is against us. And if and when we sin, trust in an even greater savior.

First Lutheran also publishes a daily podcast called The Scarlet Thread (https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-scarlet-thread/id1110938468?mt=2). This podcast is a reading of the appointed texts for the Two-Year Daily Lectionary. After two years, listeners will have heard most of the Old Testament once and most of the New Testament twice. If you are liturgically-minded and want a little more Bible in your life, this is a great podcast for you.

In a relatively rare exchange, an Orthodox priest (formerly Baptist) dialogues with a Reformed Baptist pastor (formerly Orthodox) on the questions of the Fall and its effects, how man is made righteous before God, and how one grows in holiness. The East and West do not have frequent debates and exchanges, and this pairing came as a result of a desire to understand the differences between the traditions. Many thanks to Father Wilbur Ellsworth and Pastor Theodore Zachariades for joining me. Learn about Fr. Ellsworth's move to Orthodoxy here and check out Reforming America Ministries here.

Why the name “Sin Boldly”? Martin Luther wrote to his friend Philip Melanchthon in 1521: “If you are a preacher of mercy, do not preach an imaginary but the true mercy. If the mercy is true, you must therefore bear the true, not an imaginary sin. God does not save those who are only imaginary sinners. Be a sinner, and let your sins be strong [sin boldly], but let your trust in Christ be stronger, and rejoice in Christ who is the victor over sin, death, and the world.” To sin boldly, therefore, is not to seek unholy living, but to follow the course we believe the Bible demands even if the world is against us. And if and when we sin, trust in an even greater savior.

First Lutheran also publishes a daily podcast called The Scarlet Thread (https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-scarlet-thread/id1110938468?mt=2). This podcast is a reading of the appointed texts for the Two-Year Daily Lectionary. After two years, listeners will have heard most of the Old Testament once and most of the New Testament twice. If you are liturgically-minded and want a little more Bible in your life, this is a great podcast for you.

I was joined again by Pastor Kevin Baird who offered his thoughts in support of a repeal of the Johnson Amendment, which generally prohibits (or so pastors believe) political engagement by those involved in 501(c)(3) organizations. Pastor Baird argues it limits free speech and pastors have a role to connect issues of conscience with policies and candidates. I then look at the way the devil tempts us and ask if it is only in the way of the temptations of the flesh? Can we also be tempted to apathy or meaninglessness?

Why the name “Sin Boldly”? Martin Luther wrote to his friend Philip Melanchthon in 1521: “If you are a preacher of mercy, do not preach an imaginary but the true mercy. If the mercy is true, you must therefore bear the true, not an imaginary sin. God does not save those who are only imaginary sinners. Be a sinner, and let your sins be strong [sin boldly], but let your trust in Christ be stronger, and rejoice in Christ who is the victor over sin, death, and the world.” To sin boldly, therefore, is not to seek unholy living, but to follow the course we believe the Bible demands even if the world is against us. And if and when we sin, trust in an even greater savior.

First Lutheran also publishes a daily podcast called The Scarlet Thread (https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-scarlet-thread/id1110938468?mt=2). This podcast is a reading of the appointed texts for the Two-Year Daily Lectionary. After two years, listeners will have heard most of the Old Testament once and most of the New Testament twice. If you are liturgically-minded and want a little more Bible in your life, this is a great podcast for you.

Are you familiar with the primordial soup theory of how life began? It begins with a pond of water and a strike of lighting. Is that really how life could have "naturally" began, eventually evolving to the level of diversity we see now? Evolution occupies a lot of the attention in apologetics and debate circles. But the question of life's origin is far more foundational...and impossible in a merely naturalistic worldview. Dr. Walter Bradley is a co-author of the classic textbook The Mystery of Life's Origin (which you can find for free at http://themysteryoflifesorigin.org). Thanks to Dr. Bradley for offering his time!

Why the name “Sin Boldly”? Martin Luther wrote to his friend Philip Melanchthon in 1521: “If you are a preacher of mercy, do not preach an imaginary but the true mercy. If the mercy is true, you must therefore bear the true, not an imaginary sin. God does not save those who are only imaginary sinners. Be a sinner, and let your sins be strong [sin boldly], but let your trust in Christ be stronger, and rejoice in Christ who is the victor over sin, death, and the world.” To sin boldly, therefore, is not to seek unholy living, but to follow the course we believe the Bible demands even if the world is against us. And if and when we sin, trust in an even greater savior.

First Lutheran also publishes a daily podcast called The Scarlet Thread (https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-scarlet-thread/id1110938468?mt=2). This podcast is a reading of the appointed texts for the Two-Year Daily Lectionary. After two years, listeners will have heard most of the Old Testament once and most of the New Testament twice. If you are liturgically-minded and want a little more Bible in your life, this is a great podcast for you.

I was joined by Christian evangelist Mike Stockwell to discuss his recent arrest and trial in England. Is preaching the words of scripture an arrest-worthy offense? Apparently it is England. From there, I take a look at a smattering of issues involving religious freedom, including the almost surreal juxtaposition of Catholics fighting for the right to offer insurance that doesn't include birth control and the Pope recently saying Catholics should decrease their number of children.

Why the name “Sin Boldly”? Martin Luther wrote to his friend Philip Melanchthon in 1521: “If you are a preacher of mercy, do not preach an imaginary but the true mercy. If the mercy is true, you must therefore bear the true, not an imaginary sin. God does not save those who are only imaginary sinners. Be a sinner, and let your sins be strong [sin boldly], but let your trust in Christ be stronger, and rejoice in Christ who is the victor over sin, death, and the world.” To sin boldly, therefore, is not to seek unholy living, but to follow the course we believe the Bible demands even if the world is against us. And if and when we sin, trust in an even greater savior.

First Lutheran also publishes a daily podcast called The Scarlet Thread (https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-scarlet-thread/id1110938468?mt=2). This podcast is a reading of the appointed texts for the Two-Year Daily Lectionary. After two years, listeners will have heard most of the Old Testament once and most of the New Testament twice. If you are liturgically-minded and want a little more Bible in your life, this is a great podcast for you.

I was joined by two great guests on this episode of Sin Boldly. Chaplain Dr. Michael Sprague was booed upon praying in the name of Jesus at Louisiana's state capital. Apparently Jesus is still not popular! We discussed the nature of prayer in a public setting and what good can come from such a discouraging moment. I also talked with Wes Thomas of Abolish Abortion TX to look at HB 948 in more detail. We also delved deep into Texas legal history and the path forward for legislation like this. Thanks to both for their time! (And as I had two guests this episode, it would be fair to each not to assume they share the same convictions on all issues. They very well may, but I wanted to make that distinction.)

Why the name “Sin Boldly”? Martin Luther wrote to his friend Philip Melanchthon in 1521: “If you are a preacher of mercy, do not preach an imaginary but the true mercy. If the mercy is true, you must therefore bear the true, not an imaginary sin. God does not save those who are only imaginary sinners. Be a sinner, and let your sins be strong [sin boldly], but let your trust in Christ be stronger, and rejoice in Christ who is the victor over sin, death, and the world.” To sin boldly, therefore, is not to seek unholy living, but to follow the course we believe the Bible demands even if the world is against us. And if and when we sin, trust in an even greater savior.

First Lutheran also publishes a daily podcast called The Scarlet Thread (https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-scarlet-thread/id1110938468?mt=2). This podcast is a reading of the appointed texts for the Two-Year Daily Lectionary. After two years, listeners will have heard most of the Old Testament once and most of the New Testament twice. If you are liturgically-minded and want a little more Bible in your life, this is a great podcast for you.

I was joined by David Collingsworth of KPFT's The Prison Show and Carey Appling to discuss the modern state of the American prison system and theonomy. Is our prison system the equivalent of slavery? Does it actually rehabilitate offenders or even try? Is there a legitimate Biblical alternative? How should Christians think about prison? Those are just a few of the questions we look at in this episode.

Why the name “Sin Boldly”? Martin Luther wrote to his friend Philip Melanchthon in 1521: “If you are a preacher of mercy, do not preach an imaginary but the true mercy. If the mercy is true, you must therefore bear the true, not an imaginary sin. God does not save those who are only imaginary sinners. Be a sinner, and let your sins be strong [sin boldly], but let your trust in Christ be stronger, and rejoice in Christ who is the victor over sin, death, and the world.” To sin boldly, therefore, is not to seek unholy living, but to follow the course we believe the Bible demands even if the world is against us. And if and when we sin, trust in an even greater savior.

First Lutheran also publishes a daily podcast called The Scarlet Thread (https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-scarlet-thread/id1110938468?mt=2). This podcast is a reading of the appointed texts for the Two-Year Daily Lectionary. After two years, listeners will have heard most of the Old Testament once and most of the New Testament twice. If you are liturgically-minded and want a little more Bible in your life, this is a great podcast for you.

Paul Flangan of Catholic Apologetics joined me for a conversation on Galileo, the Crusades, and the Inquisition. All three are common attacks against the Church, and certainly not without some merit. But what do these three events really tell us about Christianity, and are they as bad as many make them out to be? Mr. Flanagan offers a lot of insight on each of these tales of heresy, war, and the battle between science and faith.

Why the name “Sin Boldly”? Martin Luther wrote to his friend Philip Melanchthon in 1521: “If you are a preacher of mercy, do not preach an imaginary but the true mercy. If the mercy is true, you must therefore bear the true, not an imaginary sin. God does not save those who are only imaginary sinners. Be a sinner, and let your sins be strong [sin boldly], but let your trust in Christ be stronger, and rejoice in Christ who is the victor over sin, death, and the world.” To sin boldly, therefore, is not to seek unholy living, but to follow the course we believe the Bible demands even if the world is against us. And if and when we sin, trust in an even greater savior.

First Lutheran also publishes a daily podcast called The Scarlet Thread (https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-scarlet-thread/id1110938468?mt=2). This podcast is a reading of the appointed texts for the Two-Year Daily Lectionary. After two years, listeners will have heard most of the Old Testament once and most of the New Testament twice. If you are liturgically-minded and want a little more Bible in your life, this is a great podcast for you.